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THE LEDE

PHOTO BY THEO WELLING

“Our whole motto is just do good. You got to be able to better the world as much as we can. And when we have such power with our brand and our audience ... if we didn’t use that .... to help create change, then we’re just not doing our job.” JOSEPH DICKSTEIN, COFOUNDER OF FLOWERS FOR DREAMS, PHOTOGRAPHED OUTSIDE OF WHISK BAKESHOP ON CHEROKEE STREET ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1

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Exposing the Game

eople say “the system is rigged” so often that it can lose its meaning. But in this week’s cover story, RFT staff writer Danny Wicentowski delivers a concrete example of how that can play out in the criminal justice system. He tells the story of a pair of bad arrests in Riverview and the powerful leverage prosecutors — even prosecutors considered progressive — use to protect police officers and departments from facing consequences. If you want to know if the system is really rigged, you need to understand cases like this one. The Riverview arrests are far from the only example, but they’re a good place to start. —Doyle Murphy, editor in chief

TABLE OF CONTENTS Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy

E D I T O R I A L Digital Content Editors Jenna Jones, Jaime Lees Interim Managing Editor Daniel Hill Food Editor Cheryl Baehr Staff Writer Danny Wicentowski Contributors Eric Berger, Jeannette Cooperman, Mike Fitzgerald, Eileen G’Sell, Reuben Hemmer, Ryan Krull, Andy Paulissen, Justin Poole, Jack Probst, Richard Weiss, Theo Welling, Ymani Wince Columnists Thomas Chimchards, Ray Hartmann Editorial Interns Phuong Bui, Zoë Butler, Madyson Dixon A R T

& P R O D U C T I O N Art Director Evan Sult Production Manager Haimanti Germain M U L T I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Associate Publisher Colin Bell Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Director of Business Development Brittany Forrest, Rachel Hoppman Director of Marketing and Events Olia Friedrichs Regional Director of Marketing and Events Kristina Linden

COVER Just Sign Here Two women could have walked away from a senseless arrest in Riverview. The chose to fight prosecutor Wesley Bell instead

C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers E U C L I D M E D I A G R O U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein www.euclidmediagroup.com

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HARTMANN The Right Is Wrong Doing nothing about COVID-19 isn’t a strategy BY RAY HARTMANN

uring the week ending October 1, someone in Missouri died of COVID-19 every 5 hours and 15 minutes. The total of 32 deaths was nearly double the seventeen souls lost over the same seven-day period one year earlier. That will have to pass for “Conquering COVID-19 — Keeping Missourians Safe,” the slogan on the website of Governor Mike Parson. There, one can find a list of all the fine things that Parson claims to have done “to respond, rebuild and recover” from the coronavirus. Historians can debate how much Missouri might have lowered its present death toll of 12,000-plus had Parson not punted many responsibilities to local entities that other states did not. Had it been such a great idea to have been among only a dozen states never to enact a mask mandate — or the one last to have closed schools in early 2020 — Parson might be citing such as an accomplishment today. He is not. By contrast, here’s the most telltale sentence: “Governor Parson is committed to providing the opportunity for a COVID-19 vaccine to every Missourian that wants one. As the state makes progress and vaccination efforts continue, Missouri has seen significant declines in virus activity, which has led to decreased levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state.” The reference “to every Missourian that wants one” speaks volumes. Rather than urging citizens to have common sense and get vaccinated, Parson offers grudging accommodation to those who “want” to participate in public health. In another time, or another state, one could imagine a radical statement such as this: “Governor Parson, who himself is fully vaccinated, strongly urges Missourians to follow suit and get the vaccine

to protect themselves, their families and their communities.” Parson didn’t urge anything of the kind. Rather he channeled the Three Stooges: “One for all, all for one and every man for himself!” Parson’s belief system is clear: There is no role for government to shape citizens’ public-health behavior in a pandemic other than by polite suggestion. It is strictly a “personal choice” as to whether an individual respects the health and safety of others in the community. It is no coincidence that more than half of Missourians are not fully vaccinated more than half a year after vaccines became widely available. With just 48.44 percent fully jabbed as of the start of this month, Missouri has the thirteenth-lowest rate of protection in the nation. (Of the bottom 24 states, all are red except for purple Arizona, Nevada and Georgia). No one can be sure what the future holds in the roller-coaster ride of a pandemic and its variants. But with the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations occurring among the unvaccinated, it’s a safe bet that the states in the bottom rung of the nation are looking at the most trouble down the road. Parson’s own website implies as much with its passive note that when vaccines “continue,” hospitalizations decrease. Note that the governor and his staff couldn’t bring themselves to see the words “more” and “vaccines” in the same sentence. Here again, the language is no accident. Ever since Donald Trump refused to wear a mask in public at the very moment his own administration’s COVID-19 Task Force was beseeching Americans to do so — he claimed it showed weakness — obedient Republicans have irrationally conflated common sense with tyranny. This has seeped into GOP politics at all levels, with Parson one of the most reckless of the governors. The only counterparts to match his negligence are seeking higher office. Parson made a powerful statement by getting COVID-19 — after flaunting his refusal to wear masks — and then failing to utter a syllable of humility or remorse about the experience. It might have provided a pivotal point or leadership moment for the governor, and for First Lady Teresa Par-

Republicans have absolutely no answer as to what to do about reducing the spread of the virus. son, who got the virus at the same time. It did not. Missouri’s Republican legislators have been just as derelict, consistently refusing to wear masks and follow other recommendations of their own government’s Department of Health and Senior Services, a department run by appointees of their own political party. Even as a substantial number of their own number got COVID-19. Most memorable locally was state Senator Andrew Koenig, RManchester, who confirmed he had COVID-19 less than 48 hours after uttering the words, “It’s my choice if I want to risk getting COVID. Just like I get in a car every day, I could potentially get in a car accident and die.” It’s not known how Koenig fared in his debate with a box of rocks that day. No real-world consequences have mattered to Republicans, not even tragic ones amongst themselves. Consider the death August 19 from COVID-19 of Steve Walsh, spokesman for U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler — and the husband of state Representative Sara Walsh, R-Ashland. Both Walshes were proudly unvaccinated, and he had enjoyed retweeting ridicule of those who promoted the vaccine. All his widow could do was convey on social media how shattered she was at losing the love of her life. But no regret, no remorse, no “Come to Jesus” moment other than the literal kind. Parson held a moment of silence for Walsh at the Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair. Hartzler asked for privacy for Walsh’s family. Sara Walsh resumed her campaign for the congressional seat being vacated by Hartzler. Unabated, Republicans throughout Missouri have continued to advance the foul argument that it represents tyranny for governments to use health departments to issue

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public-health rules in a pandemic. What’s next? Meat inspections? Health rules for restaurants and bars? Such a slippery slope. It should be noted that Republicans are not specifically advocating the elimination of public health departments. Just that they be ignored, denigrated or even slandered when the higher calling of red-meat politics so dictates. This is no great shock. Republicans openly embrace the Big Lie that Trump won an election he so clearly lost. Facts are fake news. Institutions can no longer be trusted. Doctors and public health experts secretly wish to kill you. Vaccinated politicians, media figures and other thought leaders on the Right are the ones delivering the anti-vaccine, anti-mask messages to the gullible. They could not care less about harming or even killing their own loyal followers. The same Republicans have absolutely no answer as to what to do about reducing the spread of the virus. They don’t have a single constructive thought to offer. They oppose mandating, or even effectuating, life-saving vaccines. They oppose even marginal government rules regarding maskwearing. But they advocate no alternative, no solution whatsoever. Recently, I asked one anti-mandate Republican politician — a good guy, one of the rational ones — what he was “for” government doing. He didn’t pretend to have an answer. “We’re just going to have to learn to live with COVID,” he told me. Jonas Salk rolled over in his grave. No wonder Republicans across Missouri had nothing to offer but condolences when Walsh passed away. Not a word was uttered about how Walsh’s death might be a lesson or an epiphany or even a strong hint that getting vaccinated beats the alternative. That would suggest conceding a point to the other side, a fate apparently worse than death. n Ray Hartmann founded the Riverfront Times in 1977. Contact him at rhar tmann1952@gmail.com or catch him on Donnybrook at 7 p.m. on Thursdays on Nine PBS and St. Louis In the Know with Ray Hartmann from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday thru Friday on KTRS (550 AM).

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NEWS

Todd Akin, Mr. ‘Legitimate Rape,’ Dies at 74 Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

odd Akin, the former Republican Congressman from Missouri who torpedoed his political career with comments about “legitimate rape” in 2012, died at his home this weekend. Akin had spent much of the past decade attempting a comeback from the disastrous August 19, 2012, interview with Fox 2, during which Akin — who had been leading in the polls against incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill — revealed he didn’t know much about women, pregnancy or rape. Answering a question from reporter Charles Jaco about his position on the use of abortion in cases of rape, Akin had responded: “What I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.” While voters turned on Akin in Missouri, nearly a decade later, his clumsy, uninformed and cruelly framed perspective on forcing women to give birth to their rapist’s baby has become Missouri law: In 2019, the state’s Republicandominated legislature approved an eight-week abortion ban without exception for rape or incest, while even more aggressive measures have been passed in other states. In fact, what was career-ending for Akin in 2012 is, in 2021, legitimate legislation for the Republican Party. Meanwhile, the U.S. Su-

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Todd Akin, a former Missouri lawmaker, shown here in his (later-retracted) apology video for his “legitimate rape” comments in 2012. | SCREENSHOT VIA YOUTUBE preme Court is gearing up to hear a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, though the conservative-majority court has already gutted the precedent after allowing the six-week abortion ban in Texas to remain in force. As for Akin, he apologized for his comments, stating in a video uploaded two days after the interview that, “as a father of two

daughters,” he wanted justice for predators and had “a compassionate heart” for rape victims. “The fact is, rape can lead to pregnancy,” Akin said in the apology. “The truth is, rape has many victims. The mistake I made was in the words I said, not in the heart I hold. I ask for your forgiveness.” Less than two years later, Akin disavowed his apology as he at-

Arrest in Deadly CWE Carjacking

Yang and kept going, police say. Officers were dispatched at 11:40 a.m., and Yang was taken by EMS to a local hospital, but he didn’t survive. Police say they found the stolen Honda shortly after and chased down their suspect on foot. He was arrested in the 4100 block of East Prairie, which is just north of Fairground Park. In addition to Yang’s death, police and prosecutors say Milton is responsible for another carjacking earlier the same day. A man and a woman told police they were walking to their cars at about 1:25 a.m. when a man ambushed them in the 900 block of South Sarah Street in the Grove neighborhood. The gunman robbed them and then stole the woman’s 2016 Audi A6. Prosecutors have now charged Milton, whose criminal history includes convictions for robbery and stealing, with two counts of first-degree robbery in the Grove case. Police say they suspect he

Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

t. Louis police have arrested a man who they say carjacked and killed 72-year-old Chen-Hsyong Yang, running the victim over with his own SUV. Prosecutors filed charges of firstdegree murder and robbery against 47-year-old Carmain Milton of 4700 Lee Avenue in the Penrose neighborhood. Police say Milton was armed when he confronted Yang on the morning of September 28 in the 300 block of North Boyle Avenue in the Central West End, stealing the older man’s Honda Element at gunpoint. As Milton sped off, he hit

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tempted to roar back into politics, telling KMOX’s Mark Reardon that “We crafted an apology, not based on what I said but on what people were perceiving.” As the Riverfront Times reported at the time, Akin’s 2014 attempt to rewrite history was as clumsy as it was transparently self-serving. He tried arguing that his 2012 claim that women’s bodies can “shut that whole thing down” had been taken out of context. In Akin’s telling, the comment had been a “complicated parenthesis” and not a revealing moment for the lawmaker and daughter-haver. At another point in the 2014 KMOX interview, Akin said critics had wrongly interpreted his “legitimate rape” comment as proof that “Akin thinks that nobody can get pregnant through rape” — which was incorrect, Akin bafflingly argued, ecause we had people on our campaign that were children of rape.” Though he’d later tease a return to politics, Akin would never run another campaign. First elected in 1988 as a Missouri state representative, Akin went to Washington as a U.S. representative in 2000. In a statement to the Associated Press, Akin’s son said the former lawmaker had been living with cancer for several years. He died in his Wildwood home late Sunday. He was 74. n

Carmain Milton is suspected of committing multiple crimes.| COURTESY ST. LOUIS POLICE may have been involved in multiple other incidents, but they have yet to apply for charges in those cases. n

Cori Bush Recounts Her Abortion Story Written by

JENNA JONES

hen U.S. Representative Cori Bush stood last month on the steps of St. Louis’ Old Courthouse in solidarity with protestors who were fighting against Texas’ new law prohibiting abortions after six weeks, she looked out into the sea of her constituents and told a story. It was the story of a girl who had an abortion after being raped, who was told she wouldn’t amount to anything, but went on to become a member of Congress. That girl was her. Bush had never told the story to the public before. Last week, the Missouri Democrat recounted it in front of a panel for the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The hearing, titled “A State of Crisis: Examining the Urgent Need to Protect and Expand Abortion Rights and Access,” examined threats to abortion access and how the threats “disproportionately harm communities that already experience health disparities,” according to the committee’s website. During the hearing, Representatives Barbara Lee (D-California) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) joined Bush in sharing their own abortion stories. Bush said she was raped in 1994 by a boy she met on a church trip to Mississippi, discovering weeks later after a missed period that she was pregnant at eighteen years old. Wiping tears away, Bush recounted how she felt after being told she was pregnant. She didn’t know how she could make a pregnancy work at her young age, and the person who raped her was not responding to her calls. Her lifelong dream of going to college to become a nurse was out of the question because of finances, and she definitely couldn’t afford a child. Bush said she worried about how her parents would react. “My dad was a proud father, always bragging about his little girl and how he knew I would go straight to college and become attorney general, his goal for me,” Bush said. “So with no scholarship intact and college out of the foreseeable future, I couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing my dad again. It was a decision I had to make for myself, so I did.” Bush detailed her experience of receiving the abortion, describing how the counselors who spoke to her before the

Representative Cori Bush discusses the tough decision in a hearing. | C-SPAN SCREEN SHOT

“At eighteen years old, I knew it was the right decision for me.” procedure told her she would end up on welfare and food stamps, whereas white women in the room had counselors telling them how bright their futures would be. Afterward, Bush said she felt alone but resolved in her decision. Having an abortion was “the toughest decision” she had ever made, she said, but “at eighteen years old, I knew it was the right decision for me — it was freeing knowing I had options.” “To all the Black women and girls who have had abortions or will have abortions, we have nothing to be ashamed of. We live in a society that has failed to legislate love, so we deserve better. We demand better,” Bush said. Lee recounted her story of having an abortion in a “back-alley clinic” in Mexico in a pre-Roe v. Wade world. Jayapal discussed the circumstances that led to her choice to have an abortion. Speaking on the opposite side of the issuel, Representative Kat Cammack (R-Florida) told the committee her mother almost aborted her after doctors told her mom her pregnancy was high risk, but that she ultimately decided against it. The hearing took place in the lead-up to demonstrations across the country this past Saturday in protest of abortion bans. Members of the committee pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear a direct challenge to Roe in December. Missouri’s Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is currently debating an eight-week abortion ban. n

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[WITNESS]

A Weekend to Engage PHOTOS BY PHUONG BUI

St. Louis is grappling with some of the biggest issues of the day. Photographer Phuong Bui spent Saturday documenting two events: A memorial for the victims of COVID-19 called Requiem of Light (clockwise from top left) and a rally for abortion rights (clockwise from lower right) as a restrictive Texas law takes hold and the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to take up a key case in the ongoing battle.

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JUST SIGN HERE Accused of assaulting police, two women faced an all-too-common choice BY DANNY WICENTOWSKI

A camera recorded

Sgt. Jason Groves of the Riverview Police Department as he explained his observations of two Black women who were walking together in the early morning hours of August 11, 2016. “They were acting very suspicious in nature,” Groves says in the sworn deposition in February 2017. “They were walking around that corner, kind of Neanderthalling around, kind of moving around in a strange manner.”

something of that nature.” “In the narcotics realm of gang interdiction, we call it TU — Thug University,” Groves says, “because that’s where they go to learn the trade of heroin, cocaine — anything you can think of. They meet and they congregate there.” But Jordan and Holland were not who Groves made them out to be. The women lived together in Riverview and had been just blocks from their apartment when officers pulled up. They had no criminal records, and, beyond the purported display of suspicious body language, Groves could offer nothing to connect them to At the time of the recording, nearly six as it cuts sharply in front of the figures of the drug corner, or any crimes for that months had passed since Groves and a Holland and Jordan, who were walking matter. ooking ack on it today, anfilippo partner confronted Deja Holland and home at about 1:30 a.m. s a police officer, roves contin- calls Groves’ statements “the most racNajae Jordan. Both women were arrested and faced multiple criminal charges ues in the deposition, “you do this long ist thing I’ve ever heard in a deposition.” for assaulting a police officer, resisting enough, obviously you watch body lan- But he wasn’t the only attorney present guage, and you learn people very, very that day to hear them. arrest and disorderly conduct. There was also Wesley Bell. Before his Groves delivers his testimony in the well when something is not right.” According to Groves, it wasn’t just their dramatic 2018 political ascent to become patient, self-assured tone of a veteran cop. Across a table, he faced defense posture, but the pair’s location that justi- St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, attorney Thomas anfilippo, who hap- fied his suspicion iverview is a tiny vil- Bell worked in multiple roles in municipened to know more about the night in lage in north St. Louis County, covering pal court systems across north St. Louis less than a single square mile near the riv- County. In Riverview, he had served as question than he was letting on. n fact, anfilippo had already o - erfront, but as Groves explained, it has a the municipal prosecutor since 2012. Like any prosecutor, the position came tained key surveillance footage of the in- bustling drug trade which he knew to be cident from a nearby business. The mo- centered on an intersection near Diamond with the responsibility to choose which cases to pursue, what crimes to charge ment Groves was now describing — how Drive and a small convenience store. As Groves and a partner drove through and what punishments to seek if those he had supposedly followed his cop’s instincts to realize that the women’s “Ne- the area that summer night, he tells San- cases progressed to trial. But Bell didn’t want this case to go to anderthalling” required investigation — filippo, they spotted the two women appears to have elapsed over a out five “kind of looking around, almost like they trial. For one thing, Groves’ deposition seconds on video. The footage shows a were on that corner waiting to either was a defense attorney’s dream: In a viliverview patrol vehicle, lights flashing, buy something, purchase something, or lage where the population is 70 percent lack, here was a white officer under oath, describing a process for targeting Wesley Bell’s office claims Deja Holland and Najae Jordan (right) assaulted officers on August 11, 2016. “You guys have two Black women that had nothing to do been telling the story and narrative for so long,” Jordan says. “Just let us tell our side.” | DANNY WICENTOWSKI Continued on pg 14

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Najae Jordan remembers being tackled and held on the sidewalk. One officer was on her back, “just cussing and yelling stuff at me — ‘You’re assaulting a police officer, stop resisting, stop resisting.’”

JUST SIGN HERE Continued from pg 13

with seeing evidence of a crime — and that was just the start of Groves’ questionable behavior that night. Bell could have dropped the case. Instead, eleven months after Groves’ deposition comments about “Neanderthalling,” the Riverview prosecutor sent anfilippo a written offer that would make the criminal charges pending against his clients simply disappear. It came with a catch: The women would have to agree to never sue the Village of Riverview or the cops who terrorized them. All they had to do was sign their names, and walk away.

ugust 11, 2016, had started out as a normal day for Najae Jordan and Deja Holland. The couple woke up early to catch two buses and a MetroLink train to arrive in time for their shifts at a Walmart in hesterfield. n the evening, they returned to the small apartment in Riverview, on Diamond Drive, where they’d been living together for about a year. They later went to visit a friend. At about 1:30 a.m., they were walking home when Jordan says she noticed the Riverview police patrol car pass them. It slowed, and from within came the voice of an officer asking her how her night was going and where she was heading. “I was just like, ‘We’re just minding our business,’” Jordan says. Holland remembers the exchange as well — and that the cop didn’t like Jordan’s response. “That triggered him,” Holland says. They would later learn the officer was gt. ason roves. The intensity of those moments is still fresh in their minds, the feeling of being watched as the patrol car rolled by — only to realize that it had circled back for a second pass. Jordan remembers the events happening fast: “They pulled the car in front of us, and they were like, ‘Put your hands on the hood.’ “I just felt like, ‘This is wrong. We didn’t do anything,’” she says. “So, I pulled out my camera at that point, and I was shaking so bad I couldn’t pull up the camera app.” That was when Jordan says she heard roves shout to fficer effrey Lakebrink: “Get her phone.” Jordan says she “went into panic mode and just started walking backwards.” By then, she had managed to activate the camera app. The re-

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Deja Holland’s arrest citation. (The RFT obscured personal info). | COURT EXHIBIT sulting video clip, about a minute long, shows Jordan running from Lakebrink. “It’s the police following me, y’all,” she says in the recording, which was reviewed by the Riverfront Times. “It’s Riverview police following me. They got mad because I wouldn’t tell how my night was going, so he mad and chasing me.” The video captures the figure of Lakebrink trailing behind in the dark. The audio includes the sound of ordan s flip flops slapping against the pavement and Groves shouting after her, “I’m going to mace you.” Jordan evaded her pursuers, sprinting for two blocks and making it to her apartment complex. The door to the building was

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usually locked, but not that night. Jordan slipped inside. She says she immediately called her father, who lived just a few streets over. While Lakebrink chased Jordan, Holland says, Groves stayed behind. He removed her handcuffs — “I’m only doing this because you’re cooperating,” she remembers him saying — and together they made the short walk to the glass front door of the apartment building. At this point, a surveillance camera from a nearby convenience store shows Groves, Lakebrink and Holland walking toward the building. A third cop, a Bellefontaine eigh ors officer named Michael Pedroli, also arrived on the scene, just in time to participate in the standoff at the transparent

front door. Inside was Jordan. With the officers ust feet away, ordan egan opening and closing the door as she frantically shouted at Holland to get inside, but there was too much space between them, and too many cops. After several tries, Lakebrink and Pedroli successfully grabbed the door before it closed and hauled Jordan out onto the sidewalk. On video, Holland appears to walk towards the two officers who were pinning her girlfriend to the ground. Illuminated only by the light from the apartment door, the footage doesn’t show exactly what happens next, but Holland appears to make some sort of physical contact with the officers. rouched on top of Jordan, Pedroli pushes at Holland, while Groves appears to rip her backward by the shoulders. She slams into the ground and rolls back on her head. Asked about it today, Holland says she can remember only the shouting, and then blacking out. Jordan remembers being tackled and held on the sidewalk. ne officer was on her back, she says, “just cussing and yelling stuff at me — ou re assaulting a police officer, stop resisting, stop resisting.’”

he night was far from over. Back at the station, Lakebrink spent the next hours typing out a police report with a description of the incident. The report’s narrative ends with Jordan and Holland being processed, booked and released. ut it omits one final e ample of Groves’ brand of police work. With both women in custody, Groves was still thinking about Jordan s phone. Police couldn t find it when she was searched at the sta-

tion. Unbeknownst to the sergeant, amid the chaos of the arrest scene, the phone had actually been recovered y one of the half do en officers who had arrived as backup. Jordan had backup of her own. Alerted by her call, her father had shown up just in time to see his daughter being hauled away in handcuffs. Still, Jordan says, she was able to talk to him, urging him to retrieve her phone from the officer leading her away. To her shock, the officer agreed he handed the phone to her father and allowed him to leave without incident. After a ride to the police station, Jordan was placed in a holding cell, while Holland, still dazed from the impact of her head bouncing off the sidewalk, found herself shackled in an office area while Groves made coffee and small talk with the other cops. She remembers watching Lakebrink hunched over a keyboard as he wrote the incident report. The finished version would describe Holland as the aggressor during the arrest. It described how she had “attempted to push PO Pedroli off Jordan,” and in response, Pedroli “was forced to push her away with his left arm [and she] stumbled back and fell to the ground.” Holland says she sat in the office for a out ten minutes efore Groves approached her with an update. He told her she was being released, but that wasn’t all. Holland remembers him saying, “I’m going to take you home,” and then adding, “We need that phone.” Holland claims she had already told Groves that she didn’t know where Jordan’s phone was, but he was set on trying to find it. eated in the patrol car with Groves, Holland remembers riding in almost total silence, with Groves speaking only once, as if to himself: “Yeah, I’m going to need that phone.” “When we got to the apartment, and I asked him, ‘Is this part of this procedure?’ He’s just like, ‘Get out the car, open the door’ — he was real demanding,” she says. “When we got up there, he didn’t want me in the apartment with him. He said ‘You wait here,’ and so I stood out in the hallway.” The apartment was small, more like a hallway with a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom tacked on. It didn’t take long for Groves to conduct his search and exit, meeting Holland at the apartment door. Again, he asked for the phone, olland says. he was terrified. “I told him again, ‘I have not seen the phone,’” she recalls. “And

Seated in the patrol car with officer Groves as he drove her to her home, Deja Holland remembers riding in almost total silence, with Groves speaking only once, as if to himself: “Yeah, I’m going to need that phone.” then he just left the door open and walked away. And at that point, I just stood there until he pulled off. I didn’t even go into the apartment. I waited until I saw his lights go away.”

n November 29, 2017, Jordan and Holland received Wesley Bell’s offer of a deferred prosecution agreement. Taking the deal would require them to sign away their rights to file any legal complaints while allowing iverview to refile the charges at any time. On the last page, Bell had left a yellow Post-it note with his number. He had signed it “Wesley” and underlined it with a squiggle. The arrests had sent the couple’s lives “into a spiral,” Jordan says for the first time in her life, she had failed a background check, losing out on a job because her name was linked to a pending charge for “assaulting a law enforcement officer. ut of work, they left the cramped apartment in Riverview and separately moved in with family members as they tried to make ends meet. They eventually broke up, but they remain close friends. The two considered their options. They had a chance to move on. Facing the decision “was devastating,” Jordan says. When she imagined letting Groves and Lakebrink off the hook, she couldn’t help but think of Michael Brown in Ferguson, whose shooting death in 2014 started in very much the same way as her ordeal had egun in . n officer yelling through a car window and demanding compliance. A senseless confrontation. Escalation. She knew how these incidents could play out, how easily they seemed to end in death. “Signing it, it would be like letting other people down that didn’t get to survive,” she says. Holland felt the same way.

“That wouldn’t be justice. That’s like slapping us in the face, like it’s whatever, ‘Just two Black girls.’ We could have ended up dead that night. Anything could have happened to us.” They left Bell’s forms blank, choosing instead to fight the charges. It was a challenge that their attorney, Thomas anfilippo, was already prepared to tackle, as he had obtained key surveillance footage of the arrests and had Groves’ bold testimony about “Neanderthalling” as additional evidence that the initial stop lacked the legally required “probable cause.” But the surveillance camera facing the apartment complex had captured more than just a scene of three cops throwing Jordan and Holland around on the street. More than an hour later, video footage viewed by the Riverfront Times shows Groves returning to the apartment complex — with Holland, supposedly “released” from custody, following him inside. That’s a substantial step more than is suggested in the incident report, which describes only that “Sgt. Groves transported Holland back to her residence.” Confronted with the surveillance footage during the 2017 deposition, Groves admitted that he had entered the apartment building to search for Jordan’s phone — because, in his telling, it would support the charges against the two women. “Oh absolutely, we would love to have that phone, he testified, “because that phone showed the type of demeanor that they had.” Groves offered his own version of what happened upon his return to the apartment: While acknowledging that he did not have a warrant and that he had not asked Holland to sign a consent form to search, he claimed that he never actually entered their apartment itself. Groves claimed that, at the time, he believed the phone Jordan used to make the re-

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cordings actually belonged to Holland. (Why he would believe this is not clear.) In any case, he said that when he learned from Holland that the phone wasn’t hers — a moment that apparently took place after they entered the building — he told her he could not conduct the search and left. The cracks were already showing in Groves’ story, but he would have another opportunity to make his case. Called to the witness stand during the December 2019 trial of Jordan and Holland, he faced cross-examination. t would e the first time olland and Jordan would hear the word “Neanderthalling,” a term defined y roves as the suspicious activity of “walking around back and forth” near the known drug corner in Riverview. Attorney Nicholas Brown pressed Groves on his reason for stopping Jordan and Holland that night. “You’ve never seen a Neanderthal, have you, because they’ve been extinct for 40,000 years.” “No,” Groves replied, he had never seen a Neanderthal and was “not well versed in the background of Neanderthals.” Still, under steady questioning from Brown, Groves acknowledged that the term is associated with being “primitive,” “brutish” and “ape-like.” Jordan and Holland say his testimony hurt to hear. “We both broke out into tears,” ordan says. That was the first time hearing how he really felt. It surprised me that he said those kinds of things about us and our character.” Holland couldn’t help but wonder what the jury thought of them. Would they buy Groves’ explanations? t was the first time, like, in a courtroom, being in trouble, so it’s a lot of pressure,” she says. “We didn’t know how people are viewing us. We were going up against the police, two Black women.” After three days of trial, it took the jury less than two hours to return with a verdict. Jordan and Holland were acquitted on all counts.

fter the trial, Jordan and Holland were finally free of criminal charges that had tangled round their lives since their arrests in August 2016. But in turning down Bell’s offer to defer prosecution, they had rejected a choice many defendants have taken in the past: Known variously as agreements for “deferred prosecution” or “release dismissals,”

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

WEDNESDAY, 10/6

SUNDAY, 10/10

WILD CARD GAME WATCH PARTY @ BOB ON THE PATIO'S BIG SCREEN TV

THE EXTRA 3 9PM

THURSDAY, 10/7

PIERCE CRASK 5PM JESSE FARRAR (OF OLD SALT UNION) & FRIENDS 9PM FRIDAY, 10/8

MONKH HORRELL 5-7PM ALLIGATOR WINE WITH SPECIAL GUEST SEAN CANAN 10PM SATURDAY, 10/9

ALL ROOSTERED UP 12PM SEAN CANAN'S VOODOO PLAYERS 10PM

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MONDAY, 10/11

ROCKY & THE WRANGLERS 2PM SOULARD BLUES BAND 9PM TUESDAY, 10/12

ETHAN JONES 5PM ANDREW DAHLE 9PM

IVAL VOODOO FEST G AT 5PM & FRIDAY 10/8 STARTIN SATURDAY 10/9 STARTING AT 12PM

JUST SIGN HERE Continued from pg 15

similar policies have historically been used in both St. Louis and St. Louis County. These sorts of dismissal agreements “really mislead about what defendants’ rights are,” says Peter Joy, a law professor at Washington University and coauthor of a 2018 research paper that weighed the legal ethics of such agreements’ use. The paper concluded by arguing that prosecutors “should not be allowed to use such releasedismissal agreements” and that those who do are taking “serious ethical risks around a conflict of interest. It appears that Bell took that exact risk in 2017. Submitted as an exhibit in a pending civil lawsuit, the deferred prosecution agreement offered to Jordan and Holland was a two-page form letter that appears to have been originally drafted for use in criminal cases involving a victim. In the cases of Jordan and Holland, Bell had made some adjustments. A copy of the document shows Bell had added several strike-throughs marked with his initials: He erased the agreement’s three listed “special conditions,” which would have forced the signer to complete an anger management program, perform 25 hours of community service and have “no contact with the victim during the deferral period.” With those conditions deleted, all that was left were the provisions protecting Riverview and its police from civil litigation — although there was also a paragraph stating that the person signing the release agreed “that there was probable cause for my arrest and that my arrest was not based on false information.” In an interview, Joy explains that while the U.S. Supreme Court considers deferred prosecution agreements legal on a case-bycase basis, they cannot be applied as a blanket public policy. He also believes the agreements are likely unenforceable as legal documents e says he has yet to find a single case where a prosecutor made good on a threat like the one spelled out in the Riverview dismissal release, which reads: “If I do violate any condition … I understand the charge will be refiled and will e prosecuted. Joy points out that most people reading those words don’t have a lawyer. They’re scared, cornered and looking for a way out. They’re

Deja Holland, left, embraces Najae Jordan after acquittal. | COURTESY THOMAS SANFILIPPO willing to do anything. On the other side of the equation is a municipal prosecutor, whose role is to handle criminal matters only, not to defend the city’s civil liabilities — that’s what the village attorney or city counsel is for. For Joy, a prosecutor crossing that line isn’t just trying to do someone else’s job, but also damaging their own. “Here is the clash of these interests for the prosecutor,” Joy says. “If this person really committed this crime, then the prosecutor should perform the law enforcement function and go forward. If there’s no crime, the prosecutor is obligated to dismiss the case — not dismiss it while extracting this liability on behalf of the city.” It’s not just Joy who feels that way. In January, it was none other than St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell criticizing a City of St. Louis policy very similar to the one he had overseen in Riverview. As revealed in lawsuits, defendants in St. Louis had for years been given the choice of having their resisting-arrest charges dropped if they signed a one-page “release” to protect the city “from any and all liability arising from my arrest.” In remarks to the St. Louis PostDispatch in January 2021, Bell said, “I am aware of this policy in the city of St. Louis and always disapproved of it,” adding, “It seems inherently wrong and unethical.”

hanks to Wesley Bell’s persistent prosecution, Riverview ultimately spent more than three years trying and failing to convict Holland and Jordan on a collection of criminal charges. But at trial in December 2019, Bell wasn’t there to see their vindication. By then, he had moved up in the world, winning a resounding election for St. Louis County prosecuting attorney in August 2018; Bell beat seven-term incumbent Bob McCulloch, winning the campaign on a promise of creating a progressive prosecutor s office that would, among other things, hold bad cops accountable. Bell has done that, to some degree, including the filing of felony assault charges against two Velda City cops last summer for shooting and in uring a driver fleeing a traffic stop. But what Bell left behind in Riverview has come back — in the form of a civil rights lawsuit. iled in ugust y anfilippo, the suit s defendants include officers Groves, Lakebrink and Pedroli, as well as Riverview village attorney Christopher Graville. As for Bell, the suit accuses him of aiding in a conspiracy to lead a “sham prosecution” against Jordan and Holland, “for the sole purpose of hindering their ability to secure their rights” after being racially profiled and illegally arrested. “Wesley could have stopped

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this at any time, and should have stopped it during the deposition of Sgt. Groves, because it was clear in that moment what the true motives of the stop and detention were, anfilippo says now he points out that during the months of Bell’s campaign as a reformer in the county prosecutor s office, he was simultaneously prosecuting two Black women whose only suspicious activity had been walking near the wrong corner while in sight of the wrong cops. (It’s unclear if Groves or Lakebrink have faced any repercussions. A Riverview police representative tells the RFT that Groves is still with the department but Lakebrink is not.) Bell has pushed back against the lawsuit through his spokesman Chris King, who told the PostDispatch in August that the Riverview police officers involved in the arrest had “conducted themselves with restraint and professionalism.” Jordan read King’s comments in disbelief. “That was surprising to me,” she says. “It’s just like they’re doing this all over again. Like, please, give us a break. You guys have been telling the story and narrative for so long. Just let us tell our side.” Last month, the RFT reached out to ell s office with uestions a out his role in the prosecution of Jordan and Holland. Through King, Bell declined a request for an interview, citing the pending litigation that names him as a defendant. Instead, King provided a statement defending Riverview’s use of a deferred prosecution agreement in the case, writing, “The facts can be disputed, but it was the city’s belief that the defendant punched an officer. Bell, through his spokesman, initially denied hearing Groves’ comments about “Neanderthalling” and “Thug University” during the 2017 deposition, or even being in the room. But Bell appears on video footage of Groves’ deposition and is listed as present in the official transcripts. King writes, “Mr. Bell is not aware of those statements being made by Groves and they would have had no bearing on any charging decisions.” “All things considered,” King’s statement continues, “in this matter the defendants [were] never faced with jail time and, because of the nature of the allegations, offering deferred prosecution, where the defendant admits guilt but is only required to stay out of trouble, does not appear unreasonable and is in line with progressive policies that Mr. Bell has put in place.” n

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

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CAFE

[REVIEW]

The Torch Is Passed Noto sits atop the St. Louis-area food scene with its stunning Italian fare Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Noto 5105 Westwood Drive, St. Peters; 636-3171143. Wed.-Thurs. 5-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4-9 p.m. (Closed Sunday-Tuesday.)

endele Sieve knew the time had come, but she just couldn’t muster the courage to tell her dad the news that would break his heart: She would not be taking over the family bakery, as he expected her to do, and would instead be forging her own path. Her decision did not come lightly. Ever since she was ten years old she was a fi ture at his shop, J Noto Bakery, apprenticing underneath him after school and on weekends all through her childhood and into her young-adult years, when she became a bona fide pastry chef in her own right. It seemed that she was on track to carry forth the legacy of what he’d created, but she could not shake the feeling that she and her husband, Wayne Sieve, were being called to do something different. That something different was an authentic Italian eatery — the kind of place that would serve the food she and Wayne fell in love with on their many trips to taly s malfi oast. or a year, Kendele dropped hints to her dad about their decision; often, a casual mention would lead to a heated, five minute conversation that ended with her changing the su ect. inally, in , she made her case, setting the plans in motion for her and Wayne to turn the bakery into what would become one of the most thrilling Italian restaurants in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Kendele and Wayne can trace the moment they decided to open

Noto offers dishes to remember. Pictured: beet insalata, cannoli, salsiccia and lentils, margherita pizza and mushroom mezzaluna. | MABEL SUEN

A family tradition is honored and expanded in an unexpected way. oto ack to their first trip to the malfi oast a handful of years ago. There, Wayne — a chef who had gotten out of the business for a few years — fell in love with Neapolitan pizza and came home determined to recreate the classic dish. It became an obsession, and, not long after the trip, he bought a special countertop home oven that would get to the temperature he needed to mimic the classic talian wood fired ovens. Wayne’s pizzas were so good, and his passion so deep, he decided to jump back into the industry by opening a food truck. It was a scary prospect, but with Kendele still working at the bakery, it seemed like one they could

Co-owners Wayne Sieve and Kendele Noto Sieve. | MABEL SUEN manage. It didn’t take long for the truck to become a hit, and before they knew it, they were catching serious buzz as one of the best Neapolitan pizzas in town. The success excited them, but it also gave them the itch to do more. Having

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met while cooking together at a country club, the Sieves were used to a massive kitchen that would allow them to explore a variety of dishes. In the tiny truck and commissary they used for the Noto

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The former bakery has transformed into a must-try place for Italian food. | MABEL SUEN

NOTO

Continued from pg 19

pizza truck, they were limited in what they could do. They longed for a larger space that would allow them to make more than just pizza, so when Kendele’s dad told them he was ready to retire, they saw it as the perfect opportunity, one that would honor what her dad had created, albeit in a different, more expanded way. The Sieves opened Noto in the former J Noto Bakery just off Highway 94 in St. Peters in January 2020, and were blown away by the response. Though they had expected there to be a learning curve in a city where Italian cuisine so often means sweet red sauce covered in cheese, they were pleasantly surprised by just how receptive the community was to their fiercely traditional southern Italian dishes. In fact, they were so blown away that they started to feel like a freight train that was going off the rails. The business was so overwhelming that they worried they might not be able to keep up with their current way of doing things, but they had no idea how to stop. The world would stop it for them

a little over two months after they opened. Though the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge challenge and shift for their business, they took the time to reassess how they were doing things and where they needed help. Carryout business sustained them, but when they reopened their dining room that summer, they knew they wanted to tweak things. Part of that was bringing in the talented Josh Poletti, who joined the team as executive chef this past spring. With his talent for Italian cuisine and charcuterie, he has helped the Sieves bring to life the vision for Noto they have always had while allowing them the headspace to think about the bigger picture of where they want to go. Where they are currently is at the top of the city’s dining scene. oto is thrilling from start to finish, a stunning portrait of southern Italian cuisine as authentic as you’d get if you were sitting on a veranda overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Arancini are fried to a gorgeous golden color, their crispy exterior yielding to a creamy risotto interior. Rich Bolognese and pecorino Romano cheese adorn this perfect appetizer. Noto’s version of fritto misto includes sweet potatoes, broccolini and mushrooms coated in a

breading that is delicate and airy like tempura. The dipping sauce was the dish’s standout, an aioli that was both rich and creamy but also refreshing thanks to the addition of mint — a thoughtful, seemingly small detail that had a major impact. Poletti has been perfecting his charcuterie craft for years, and when you bite into the ciccioli, you get the feeling he has mastered the art. For this rustic, terrine-like dish, he combines braised pork shoulder and belly with roasted thyme and black pepper for a shockingly rich, fatty slab of meat that pairs beautifully with apple mostarda (a condiment that takes him three days to make). As someone who has shed actual tears of joy over prosciutto, I was so mesmerized by the ciccioli that I barely noticed the outrageously good Parma ham on the board. Poletti also shows off his charcuterie skills on the bucatini amatriciana, a quintessential Roman pasta dish made with homemade noodles that are like hollowed-out spaghetti on steroids. The mildly spiced tomato sauce is laden with his housemade guanciale (pork jowl) that adds a rich, luxurious texture to the zesty tomato base. Another pasta, the lobster ravi-

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oli, is equally brilliant. From the firm te ture of the pasta to the shockingly fresh lobster and shrimp tucked inside to the decadent mascarpone that rounds out the filling and the su tly sweet and tangy lobster cream sauce that gilds this lily, the dish is flawless. The moment you bite into one of Noto’s pizzas, you understand why Wayne’s truck was such a hit. The crust is perfect. Absolutely, spot-on, exactly the way it’s done in Naples, down to the leopard spotted crust’s pillow-soft pull and chew. It’s an outstanding base for the quattro formaggi, which features funky blue cheese, mozzarella, ricotta and pecorino Romano. With just a simple brush of olive oil instead of red sauce, the crust and cheeses are allowed to stand front and center. However, if you only try one pizza at Noto, you must get the Margherita. heaper than a flight to Naples but no less transportative, this pie is a light-bulb moment for anyone who wants to know why Neapolitan pizza is so beloved. Simple crushed San Marzano tomatoes, olive oil, Sicilian sea salt, molten fresh mozzarella and zesty basil leaves combine for the Platonic form of this classic dish. Without a doubt, it could go head to head with the best pizzas in Naples itself. Noto’s entrees are not to be missed either, including a braised short ri , flecked with ra or thin garlic chips, that is so tender you could butter your bread with it. And you cannot complete your Noto experience without being dazzled by Kendele’s pastry chops in the form of her outstanding desserts, such as an apple crisp with sweet potato ice cream, magnificent amaretto-scented cannoli and a creative take on tiramisu that will make you rethink the classic dish. Noshing on these sweet treats, you feel Kendele’s background at her dad’s bakery making itself known in this absolutely stunning restaurant. And she knows he feels it too. Though he was initially disappointed that she chose not to take over the bakery, Kendele says that the second he walked into the restaurant on its first day of business, he got it. That she and Wayne have created such a masterpiece in its footprint is the greatest legacy he could have ever hoped for.

Noto Margherita pizza ....................................... $14 Bucatini amatriciana ................................ $20 Arancini ..................................................... $12

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SHORT ORDERS

[ S T. L O U I S S TA N D A R D S ]

Hole Foods At north St. Louis County staple the Donut Cupboard, customers are treated like family Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

hen Robyn Dietrich talks about how much she cares for her customers, she’s not simply referring to what goes on within the four walls of her Florissant doughnut cafe, the Donut Cupboard. To her, it’s one thing to serve her guests good food while she’s on the clock, but it’s equally important that the relationship doesn’t end when they pay their check. “There is one woman who I called the other day just to check in on her,” Dietrich says. “I asked her, ‘Doris, do you need anything?’ She told me no, because a neighbor was helping her out, but I told her, ‘Listen, I’m going to Aldi — please let me bring you something.’ She said she would really love some chicken salad, but that she didn’t want to ask me to do that. I told her that I was going there anyway and that she was on the way home. She was so appreciative, and I was happy to do it. This is pretty much my life, but I love it because these are the people who, when my parents died, have been there for me.” Those personal touches, and the knowledge that Dietrich and her staff truly feel that their customers are family, is what makes the Donut Cupboard an essential — if under-the-radar — part of the north-county dining scene. Since 1975, the small cafe has been serving its patrons some of the est doughnuts in the area, first under the watch of the original owner, Tony Ozenkowski, and next, under Dietrich and her husband John, who bought the shop in 1983. As Dietrich explains, her husband, who had a background in the doughnut business, planned on opening a restaurant of his own — just not the Donut Cup-

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Donut Cupboard hand cuts its doughnuts the old-fashioned way — one of the secrets to its staying power. | ANDY PAULISSEN board — when he bought the place 38 years ago. Instead of an independent shop, John was actively looking to run a Mr. Donut franchise in the Florissant area when he stumbled upon the Donut Cupboard opportunity. Back then, Ozenkowski was experiencing heart troubles and looking to get out of the business; though his nephew, who was a baker at the shop, seemed like the natural heir, he had no interest in taking it over, so Ozenkowski was in need of a buyer. For John, an established business with a regular clientele was just what he was looking for, so he switched course and became an independent doughnut shop owner. When John took over the Donut Cupboard, he expanded its footprint to include the adjacent storefront, where he set up an ice cream shop. “He tried different things to see what would work out,” Dietrich explains. However, when he realized the extra space wasn’t worth the effort and rent, he consolidated the operation into its current space. Still, he felt that the place should offer more than doughnuts and, over time, he expanded the menu to include

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Donut Cupboard has been serving Florissant for 46 years. | ANDY PAULISSEN breakfast, lunch and the restaurant’s current specialty: doughnut sandwiches. “When all the gas stations started having doughnuts, we had to figure out a way to make ourselves stand out,” Dietrich says. “We didn’t have a background in cooking — just a stove back then — but we wanted to give people a

wide variety of choices. Some people can come in and get doughnuts and the other people at the table can have breakfast. It was something that we could easily do to differentiate ourselves.” Still, doughnuts remain the Donut Cupboard’s bread and butter, even though the shop remains something of a hidden gem, albeit

Coffee and doughnuts are hard to beat, especially when they’re this good. | ANDY PAULISSEN The friendly staff goes out of their way to make everyone feel like family. | ANDY PAULISSEN one sitting in plain sight. It sits in a strip mall directly on North Highway 67 in the heart of Florissant, but it’s not uncommon for Dietrich to hear people say that they never knew the place existed. However, once people try the doughnuts, they immediately understand what they’ve been missing.

“We make doughnuts like they used to make in the old days,” Dietrich says. “We mix in the mixer, throw the dough on the table, hand-roll them out with a roller and use hand-cutters to cut them. When people use machines, it makes for a tougher doughnut. We don’t feed ours through any

[FOOD NEWS]

got a job with a woman who ran a popular food cart in his hometown. Under her tutelage, he learned to cook a variety of street-food dishes and also honed his craft at home with his mother. Those two experiences gave him a rich culinary background that he has drawn upon in his cooking jobs here in the United States, including his most recent position with Mission Taco Joint. For several years, Chef Miguel worked alongside brothers Adam and Jason Tilford, first at their popular upscale dining restaurant Milagro Modern Mexican and eventually at Mission Taco Joint, where he was in charge of directing the culinary side of the operations for the brand’s numerous locations. When the pandemic forced the Tilfords to make the difficult decision of laying off Chef Miguel, he took it as a sign that it was his time to branch off on his own. With his wife, Brandi, by his side, he drew up plans for Sabroso not simply as a restaurant, but as a forum for teaching diners about the many different styles of Mexican cuisine. As Brandi explains, that education component is an important part of what they hope to do with the restaurant. “He just loves food so much and

Sabroso Coming Soon to St. Ann Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

t. Louis will soon be getting a new destination for traditional Mexican cuisine, courtesy of a popular longtime chef. Sabroso (11146 Old St. Charles Road, St. Ann; 314-918-5037), a restaurant from former Mission Taco Joint Director of Culinary Operations “Chef Miguel,” will open soon in St. Ann, featuring tamales, cochinata pabil, empanadas and more. The restaurant is the realization of a dream for Chef Miguel (who prefers to go by his first name only), a veteran chef who has been working in the food business, in some form, since he was ten years old. Food was always a part of his life growing up in Mexico, and as soon as he was old enough to work, he

machines, which is why they are so tender. It’s more grunt work, but I think that’s what makes them so good.” Classic glazed and chocolate long johns are the shop’s most popular offerings, and the Donut Cupboard has a cult following for its enormous apple fritters. But Dietrich senses that the warm feel of the place and the staff’s efforts to make everyone feel welcome

Sabroso is bringing traditional Mexican cuisine to St. Ann this fall. | COURTESY OF SABROSO wants to educate people about the different styles of cooking and techniques and where they originated from,” Brandi says. “That’s how the menu is set up. We’re telling people what part of Mexico

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is why people keep coming back. Like a lot of small cafes and restaurants around town, the Donut Cupboard has its daily regulars, mostly older retired men, who come in more for the socialization than they do the coffee and doughnuts. One of the shop’s most beloved customers, a former mailman named Dan who passed away last year, is memorialized on the wall behind the front pastry case as a way to ensure his presence is still felt at the counter where he sat every single day. Dietrich says the shop has so many regulars like Dan, and she wishes that she would have started taking pictures of them from the very beginning as a reminder of every one whose lives the Donut Cupboard has touched over the years. “We had a couple of regulars who moved away, and when they came back they said they always consider us like their Cheers,” Dietrich says. “We treat everyone like we want to be treated. The girls who work here are awesome; we’re such a small group and not a franchise, so we really take pride in what we do. I think we try to make everybody feel comfortable and like they are at home. Everybody is welcome here.” n a dish comes from and even give a little blip about the cooking style. “That’s one of our missions — to educate people that there is Mexican food beyond beans and rice and fajitas. We have those things too, but what we want to give you is what you would get if you went to a grandmother’s or mom’s house.” As Brandi explains, there is no dish that better exemplifies that sort of homekitchen comfort than Sabroso’s tamales. Chef Miguel has worked for years perfecting his masa; the restaurant has a machine that grinds the corn, and, after it’s ground, he adds in pork fat and other seasonings. She is confident that, once diners try Sabroso’s tamales, they will be awestruck. Though there is no opening day set for the restaurant, Brandi anticipates it will be open by early October. In the meantime, they are hard at work getting everything in order so that they can soon welcome guests to show them a dining experience that is deeply personal to Chef Miguel. “Food has always been a part of his life,” Brandi says. “For him, this has been a lifelong dream.” n

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

HELP WANTED ST. LOUIS AND SURROUNDING AREAS

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OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

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MAY 12-18, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

[BARBECUE]

Lost in the Sauce Navin’s BBQ brings Texas- and Kansas City-style ’cue to Tower Grove East Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

iving in such esteemed barbecue areas as central Texas and Kansas City, Chris Armstrong found himself steeped in barbecue culture for a significant portion of his life. That exposure turned into curiosity, passion and, now, Navin’s BBQ (3559 Arsenal Street, 314449-1185), a smokehouse of his own that opened this June in Tower Grove East. According to Armstrong, the push to open Navin’s was entirely circumstantial. Though he has considered himself a barbecue hobbyist for quite some time — and even helped his uncles on the competition circuit — he was enjoying a successful career as the Midwest sales manager for a Texas-based brewery. However, when the pandemic hit, the brewery had to furlough many of its employees, including Armstrong on two occasions, eventually eliminating three of the four states in his

territory. Seeing the writing on the wall, Armstrong knew he needed to chart a different course. While he took the time to figure out what his next move would be, Armstrong decided to perfect his barbecue. He needed people to test out his wares, so he enlisted the help of friends and family to help him eat all of the food he was making and also give him their feedback. Before he knew it, he was cooking for twenty-plus people every week under the name “Furlough Joe’s” — and was so pleased by the reception that he gained the confidence to look into opening a place of his own. Once Armstrong found the former Guerrilla Street Food location on Arsenal Street, he felt ready to go all-in. Named after the main character in the movie The Jerk, Navin’s opened on June 17 to wonderful word-of-mouth success and has been growing ever since. As Armstrong explains, he’s been especially proud of their repeat business — proof that he is onto something with his barbecue. “We’ve had quite a bit of repeat business,” Armstrong says. “Some people have come in for lunch and dinner in the same day. One gentleman in the neighborhood came in five or six days the first week we were open, and it’s not uncommon for people to come in multiple days in a row. It makes me feel that there is something here to what we are doing.”

that he perfected through customer feedback during his time as Furlough Joe’s, as are the pork-belly burnt ends, which are one of the more popular items. And though he understands that many may see the smokehouse as a meat-centric operation, Armstrong also serves vegetarian options, including smoked collard greens and a smoked portobello mushroom, that appeal to a wide variety of diners. Navin’s is fast casual, so diners order at the counter and wait for their food to be brought out to them. Currently, the restaurant does not offer alcoholic beverages, though Armstrong hopes to have his liquor license soon. In the meantime, he is just happy to be doing what he loves and is thrilled with the validation he has received from the community. “I probably wouldn’t have taken Navin’s BBQ is serving up smoked wings and other outstanding ‘cue in Tower Grove East. |Phuong Bui the leap if it wasn’t for the furlough, so this is very situational,” Armstrong says. “I’d always loved barbecue and Though Navin’s draws inspiration from took it seriously, but with St. Louis being both Texas and Kansas City barbecue tra- such a strong, historic barbecue commuditions, Armstrong is not married to partic- nity, I always felt like a nobody and thought ular styles. Instead, he sees the restaurant people would think, ‘Who is this guy?’ It alas more of a hybrid style that celebrates ways held me back, but the support so far barbecue tradition in its entirety. He is par- has been great. We’re still small and still ticularly proud of his brisket, which is Texas growing, but we’re just trying to build this style and sliced off the flat, but is equally one sandwich and plate at a time.” Navin’s BBQ is open Thursday through excited about his Kansas City burnt ends. Chicken wings, which are Navin’s most Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. or n labor-intensive item, are another specialty sellout.

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[OPENINGS]

Secret Ingredient Botanica brings a stylish vibe and American South-Italian cuisine to Wildwood Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

hen Ryan Sherring stands in the middle of Botanica’s (2490 Taylor Road, Wildwood; 636-821-1233) dining room, he can’t help but marvel at the transformation. Gone are the mustard-yellow walls, red ceiling and dark pub tables that characterized the former Llywellyn’s pub; in their place, the white tin ceiling, exposed brick, green plants, Pop Art and gray concrete bar give off a sleek, modern vi e with light filling the space from the building’s numerous windows. It’s a chic, but still welcoming atmosphere — one he knows will quickly become the neighborhood gathering spot and dining destination for the residents of Wildwood and beyond. After announcing his plans for Botanica less than two months ago, Sherring opened the highly anticipated restaurant this past Saturday, bringing to life his vision for a place that will appeal to a wide variety of diners. Part of the draw is the space itself, including a lush outdoor (dog-friendly) patio and bar, as well as a topnotch beverage program put together by beverage director Chris Figeroa that includes new interpretations of classic cocktails. However, much of the Botanica buzz has surrounded the exciting menu from the highly regarded chef Ben Welch, who joined Sherring’s growing Six Mile Bridge team this August (Sherring and his wife, Lindsay, also own the Maryland Heights brewery and restaurant). For Botanica, Welch has created a menu that represents his longtime prowess with Italian cuisine, with nods to the American South, which is a style of food that has both personal and professional connections to him. “This is your Italian grandma and Black grandma cooking for you,” Welch says. “And what do they cook with? Love. That’s the

Renovations of a former pub have turned Botanica’s dining room in Wildwood into a polished, comfortable space, good for all occasions. | PHUONG BUI

“This is your Italian grandma and Black grandma cooking for you. And what do they cook with? Love. That’s the connection.” connection. It’s big pots and sugo and biscuits and gravy and just cooking with love. I love creating outside of what is expected, and I don’t like being put in a box.” Botanica’s menu is pizza-forward, with Roman-style pies that include a classic Margherita, a potato, featuring rosemary, pork jowl, béchamel and mozzarella, as well as a sweet-potato version with speck, gorgonzola, Saba, candied pecans and ricotta. The menu is not limited to pizza, though. The restaurant also offers three different pasta dishes, including a gnocchi with artichoke, lemon and roasted cauliflower, as well as entrees such as roasted chicken with peperonata, olives, capers, bacon and thyme, and short ribs with salt-and-pepper

The cocktail menu at Botanica features classic drinks with a twist. | PHUONG BUI grits and roasted vegetables. Botanica offers several starters, ranging from whipped lard to crab zeppoles (similar to an Italian beignet). Desserts, including a tiramisu and peach cobbler, round out the menu. Sherring and Welch plan on rolling out lunch and weekend brunch service over the next several weeks, but, in the meantime, are thrilled with the direction the food has taken. They are eager to show it off to guests and bring a little something different to the area

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— and from what they can tell, the dining public is equally excited. “We’ve had an outpouring of people super excited about coming here,” Sherring says. “We feel that we are bringing something unique to St. Louis with Italian and American Southern fusion. The only thing we don’t make here is the wine; we make the food, the cocktails, the beer, and everything is tailor-made for our guests so it feels unique. We’re just looking forward to bringing people together, because that is what this is about.” n

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REEFERFRONT TIMES

[DISPENSARY REVIEW]

Tommy Chims Smokes Heya’s Weed Written by

THOMAS CHIMCHARDS

his new era of police friendliness toward cannabis is never going to stop being surreal for those of us who have ever spent time in a cell over the stuff. I still vividly remember, many years ago, being arrested in the parking lot of a St. Louis County mall after a passing cop rolled by the car I was in and saw me hit a joint. As I recall, the handcuffs he put on my wrists were fairly tight, but when I asked him if he could loosen them, he walked back over to me and tightened them another click. By the time we got to the station, my hands were numb, and the officer offered a smarmy faux-apology as he removed them upon our arrival. “Sorry about that,” he said sarcastically, a wide grin stretched across his face. “I had to make sure you couldn’t go for my gun to shoot me or anything.” “Oh, I’d never do that to you,” I replied, matching his tone. But fast-forward to the present day, and things have changed considerably. And nowhere does that change feel more stark than at the north county location of Heya Wellness (10417A St Charles Rock Road, St. Ann; 314-656-6362). Situated in the same exact parking lot as the St. Ann Police Department, Heya’s relationship with the local cops is such that they can often be found hanging out in the dispensary’s lobby, working as security guards. On a recent visit, when the shop’s ATM was down, I asked the officer at the front where the ne t nearest ATM might be. Our conversation was considerably more friendly than the one I had with an officer those many years ago. “Excuse me, do you know where the nearest ATM is so that I can buy some weed?” I asked, amus-

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Heya’s sleek sales floor is well stocked with cannabis products and accessories. | DANIEL HILL ing myself. “There’s one in the lobby of the police station, or there’s one over at Regions Bank,” he replied helpfully. (I opted for the police station one, for maximum surreality.) It’s an odd contrast of experiences, but, of course, it’s also a sign of the times, when weed is not only legal medicinally, ut also profita le enough to supplement the salaries of local off-duty cops. And one visit to Heya’s sleek, decidedly hip location makes it obvious that they have plenty of money to play with. Upon entrance to the dispensary, you walk into a lobby with a small waiting area furnished with chairs and a coffee table, with a front desk manned by an employee and a gorgeous, resin coated wood floor underfoot. A skunky cannabis smell is prevalent within, and even from the parking lot, owing to Heya’s nearby cultivation operation. Hell, you can probably even smell it from the police station. Upon handing over my ID and medical card I was brought to the sales floor, with canna is products and accessories lining the walls of the spacious room on wooden shelves and large LED screens

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

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displaying the shop’s menus. My budtender led me to the registers, where we discussed the products on hand. Heya has a rather large selection of strains, concentrates, vape cartridges and edibles, owing in part to the brand’s status as a vertically integrated operation with its own cultivation and manufacturing arms. At the time of my visit, they had more than twenty varieties of flower in stock, including eighths of such highly regarded strains as Runtz, Dosi Pop, Grease Monkey, Purple Sunset, Scooby Snacks and Mama’s Pie. On Fridays, the Heya branded products are 30 percent off and all other products are 10 percent off, so I went with some Heya-branded Grease Monkey and Mama’s Pie eighths ($38.50 each), as well as a Flora Farms eighth of Purple Sunset ($32.40) for variety. After taxes, my total came to $123.47. I dug into the Grease Monkey first, rated at . percent T . Upon opening the bag I was greeted with a pungent, earthy smell with some fuel-like spiciness hitting way up in my sinuses. The buds within were on the smaller side; as it turns

out I’d purchased some “budlettes,” or popcorn buds, without realizing it, but that’s not a problem for me because those often come at a discount and they smoke the same. These little guys were green in color, highlighted by bits of white and orange, and the dense but light buds crumbled easily on breakup, with very little stickiness. On inhale, that spicy, fuel-like sensation was more prominent, with hints of wood as well. I wrote in my notes that it made me think of “an unknown seasoning blend one might use for a holiday meatball I’ve never had. s for effects, the first thing noticed was a puffiness under my eyes, then an elevation to my overall mood — I’d been moderately irritated at the end of a long day when I’d started smoking, and afterward I felt much more relaxed and chipper. It also works very well for pain. I’d been hurting particularly bad on this day — maybe that had something to do with my level of irritation — but that all melted away after one bowl. My budtender had noted that this strain was a favorite among the shop’s customers, and it’s easy to see why: I found myself happy and relaxed, chatty and free

From left: Grease Monkey, Mama’s Pie and Purple Sunset. | TOMMY CHIMS

After a few hits, I began to feel relaxed in both mind and body, but not debilitated or couchlocked. I watched a video of a monkey riding around on a goat, both of them eating berries, and it was fuckin’ delightful. of pain, and somewhat giggly. All in all, an outstanding strain. Next, I got into the Purple Sunset. A Flora Farms affair rated at 15.76 percent THC, the bag gave off a rich coffee and grass smell when opened, and the buds within were compact but not tiny, and darker green on the outside with a lighter green core. The outside was also covered in glistening resin, with bits of white and orange throughout and chunks of purple, like chocolate chips in a cookie. On breakup, this strain is pretty sticky, with keef transferring to my fingers that found difficult to wipe off. On inhale, it brought a comple spiced flavor, smooth and tasty, rich but not sweet. After a few hits, I began to feel relaxed in both

mind and body, but not debilitated or couchlocked. I watched a video of a monkey riding around on a goat, both of them eating berries, and it was fuckin’ delightful. I also found it to be decent for pain and fairly appetite inducing definitely good weed, if perhaps lacking a little in character. Finally, I tried out the Mama’s Pie. Another Heya-branded bag of budlettes, this strain clocked in at 27.35 percent THC, and its tiny, wellformed buds were a tight mixture of lime to dark green, with orange hairs and a white frosting of keef — I wrote in my notes that it reminded of a cracked, multi-colored Skittle. On both smell and taste there was a prevalent fuel-like presence and a light sweetness. As for effects, it seemed to be a pretty balanced hybrid, which is a little odd because its parent strains, Big Bud and Blueberry, are both indicas. It felt like more of an upper, creative high than I would have expected considering its genetics, though a bit on the introspective side. I was left feeling peaceful and relaxed, not an ious, not stupefied, alert and feeling good. I think the key descriptor here is “well-balanced.” In all, it’s plain to see that Heya is poised to become a heavy-hitter in the local cannabis market. Between the excellent strains put forth by its cultivation arm — especially that Grease Monkey, good lord — and the hip retail spaces that comprise its dispensaries, it’s clear that the minds behind the brand are dutifully putting in the effort necessary to elevate their operation above the competition. I mean hell, even the cops love ’em. And as my wrists can attest, those guys can be a hard sell. n

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AWARD-WINNING FLAVOR

BE ST IN SHOW

94 PO I NTS

97 POINTS

WHISKIES OF THE WORLD 2015

U LT I M A T E S P I R I T S C H A L L E N G E 2015

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CULTURE

• Derecka Purnell with Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Kayla Reed, Becoming Abolitionists: 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 13, online

[THE WRITTEN WORD]

On the Books

• Lori Rader-Day with Naomi Hirahara, Death at Greenway: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 13, online

Left Bank pencils in several authors for October events

• Shannon Carpenter with Jonathan Heisey-Grove, Ultimate Stay-At-Home Dad: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 14, online

Written by

JENNA JONES

• Cassandra Quave with Amy Stewart, Plant Hunter: 7 p.m. Friday, October 15, online

s the leaves change and September fades into October, Left Bank Books (399 North Euclid Avenue; 314-367-6731) is planning to host a plethora of author events this month to keep us extra cozy and curled up with a good book. Books that will be discussed by their authors and other guests range in topics. From an analysis of racist policing to the history of wrestling at the Chase Park Plaza to a suspense novel, there’s something for everyone in store. A few of the events will be hosted in person, while others will be streamed through Facebook and YouTube. A trick-or-treating event is also scheduled for the young readers of St. Louis, with local children’s author Amy Sklansky featured the day before Halloween. Other notable authors include

[BODYSLAMS]

Off the Top Ropes WWE’s Royal Rumble wrestles its way into St. Louis this January Written by

JENNA JONES

eeeet’s get ready to rumble, St. Louis! If body slams and leg drops get you pumped, WWE is cookin’ up some good news for you. WWE’s Royal Rumble is coming to the Dome at America’s Center (701 Convention Plaza) on Saturday, January 29, in what could be the most highly attended event in WWE history. The Dome is the largest venue to host the event in the Royal Rumble’s 30-plus

• Donna Washington, Boo Stew: 11 a.m. Saturday, October 16, online

Left Bank owner Kris Kleindienst will host a variety of authors both online and in person this month. | THEO WELLING Donna Washington, who has reimagined Goldilocks into “a delightfully spooky fractured fairy tale with a diverse cast of characters,” according to a press release. St. Louisan and Emmy winner Ed Wheatley is also coming up. The online-only events can be found on Left Bank’s Facebook or YouTube pages. Times vary with each event. All of the conversations with the authors are free to attend. Books discussed at the years. It can host some 60,000 people. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports more than 40,000 fans are expected to attend. Citing the WWE’s “rich history in St. Louis,” WWE Executive Vice President of Special Events John Saboor says in a press release that the organization is excited to bring the Royal Rumble to the Dome. “We look forward to giving the WWE Universe an opportunity to experience all that St. Louis has to offer,” Saboor says. Two matches of 30 men and 30 women, battle-royale style, are scheduled for the event. The men and women will pack into the rings, fighting for a title match scheduled for April 2022 in Dallas. St. Louis previously witnessed the fight for WWE greatness in 2012, when the Royal Rumble was last in town. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones says in a press release that the city of St. Louis is “thrilled” to host the event. “St. Louis has the best sports scene in the country, and Royal Rumble will en-

events can be purchased online at left-bank.com, and more event details can be found there, too. The full list of events is below: • Jocelyn Nicole Johnson with Walter Mosley, My Monticello: 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 6, online • Ed Wheatley, Wrestling at the Chase: 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 6; meet-and-greet begins at 6 p.m. at West End Grill and Pub (354 N Boyle Avenue)

• Steven Reigns, A Quilt for David: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 16, at Northwest Coffee Roasting on the patio (4251 Laclede Avenue) • Tony Pecinovsky, Cancer of Colonialism: 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 26, online • Nina Mukerjee Furstenau with Ann Lemons Pollack, Green Chili and Other Imposters: Noon Wednesday, October 27, online • Teresa K. Miller and Devon Walker, Figueroa Borderline Fortune & Philomath: 7 p.m. Friday, October 29, online • Amy Sklansky, Knock Knock, Trick or Treat!: 10:15 a.m. Saturday, October 30, at Left Bank Books (399 N. Euclid Avenue) n

The Royal Rumble is comin’ to town once more. | COURTESY WWE hance it even more,” Jones says. “This event is an incredible opportunity for our city, bringing WWE fans from across the nation to St. Louis and helping keep our downtown vibrant during the winter season.”

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Tickets don’t go on sale until Friday, October 15, at 10 a.m. A pre-sale is available by signing up on wwe.com. For those who can’t make it to the January event, a livestream will be available on the NBC streaming service Peacock. n

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OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

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[ M E N TA L H E A LT H ]

Walking the Walk St. Louis radio show host highlights suicide prevention after trolls try to body shame her Written by

JENNA JONES

eeling pretty is not a job requirement for 105.7 The Point radio show host Lux, but on occasions like PointFest, she’ll seize the chance to get dressed up, something she loves to do, knowing that video interviews have quickly become part of her job. While the men at her station throw on jeans and a T-shirt for PointFest, Lux opts for something nicer — most recently a formfitting pink dress and acket, one that complements her hair color. There was no way of knowing the monochromatic outfit would draw vitriol from social media, but what started as a negative moment has evolved into an opportunity for mental health awareness. When Lux posted a picture to Facebook of herself at the event last month, she left it unattended as she went about her day’s work, interviewing bands including Shinedown and enjoying the concert. As she went back to share the photo of her and Shinedown after their interview, she opened the comment section on the original post. The comments struck a chord. One man had commented on the way she looked specifically her body and how “Jenny Craig called.” When prompted further for explanation by another commenter, another troll added that “she’s let herself go and needs to lose some lb’s.” Lux’s scrolling continued, this time with another man commenting on how far apart the radio personality’s eyes are and that she was “trying to show cleavage with below average A’s.” “For some reason, the way that the comments were presented really hit me in a way that told me I needed to stand up for myself,” Lux says in an interview with the RFT. “If nothing else, to raise awareness that I am one of many millions of people who deal with this kind of stuff and the damage

“It’s more important than ever now that we allow each other to evolve,” Lux says. | PROVIDED it can really do. When you think you’re just making snarky or funny comments online, you have no idea what it does to the other person on the other side.” Lux has struggled with mentalhealth issues and is recovering from an eating disorder. She’s lost a friend to suicide. Because of these experiences, the radio show host has for years walked and raised money for the Missouri chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The comments hit as Lux was preparing to walk again on September 26, further propelling her to call attention to the trolls. “When you have people saying that kind of stuff to you, it adds up to a low self worth, low self confidence and self-esteem, depression, sadness, loneliness, angriness — all those emotions that are risk factors for suicide,” Lux explains. “So I thought, ‘Well, I’m walking, I’m raising money. And if nothing else, I also need to remind people that these kinds of words weigh heavy. You don’t know where anybody is, what they’re dealing with in their life. And, you know, even getting a couple of these a week can be really, really harmful.’” The radio show personality says she gets about ten to twenty comments like this a week, but she couldn’t shake these ones off for some reason.

As the target of trolling and harassment, she notes that the impact of those comments builds up over time. “Your body still intakes that kind of, that punch, that critique, that cringe, that embarrassment, that shame, whatever it is,” she says. Lux adds that while her male counterparts at the station have also been body shamed, the sexism toward women’s appearances can’t be ignored. She credits her colleagues for providing a support system. till, she finds that many people seem to consider harassment just part of her job, or think she’s inviting the scrutiny of her body because she’s in the media industry. “The old phrase ‘face for radio’ came from the fact that we weren’t used to being seen. So, we didn’t really worry about this,” Lux says with a laugh. “And now that I’m out there all the time, I’m enjoying it. I’m happy to use the platform to explore creativity and talk about causes that are important.” The recent examples of body shaming that she’s shared publicly have been met with a wave of support from her fans and the band Shinedown. Lux has turned the moment into awareness for the way these comments can affect people. She has directed her followers’ attention to the American Foundation for Suicide Pre-

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vention, an organization close to her heart, in posts about the walk. CEO Robert Gabbia says in a press release that the suicide awareness walks Lux actively participates in can help turn “hope into action.” Last year, the walks raised $25 million for the foundation’s education and support programs. The Missouri iteration of the walk, called Out of the Darkness and held virtually last year due to COVID-19, had 1,255 participants and raised more than $180,000. “We hope that by walking we will draw attention to this issue and keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss,” Kellen Wolters, the foundation’s Missouri chapter board co-chair, says in a press release. “Our ultimate goal is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.” The mission to raise awareness is also playing out in digital spaces. Instagram has become a place where Lux talks candidly about her mental health issues. After she received the comments, she shared on her platform a TikTok video about her experience with body shaming — so far, the video has drawn nearly 15,000 views and hundreds of comments on Instagram. She keeps poking fun at the comments, a creative way to not keep her feelings bottled up, she says. Making videos is just one way of confronting the impact of body shaming. Lux notes that “talk saves lives” is one of the AFSP’s slogans, which is what she strives to do by being open on her platforms. For her, it’s making “silly” videos, but for others it could be writing it down. The goal is twofold, Lux explains — to get the feelings out but also to talk about the issues and “feel comfortable and not ashamed by them.” Lux says that she made the videos to address the situation publicly and “teach people to be kind.” When asked if the trolls ever apologize, she replies that, while it is shocking, it does happen. She says sometimes they reach out to apologize and tell her what they said sounded awful. Other times, they attempt to explain what they meant. “I love to have those conversations,” Lux says. “It is more important than ever now that we allow each other to evolve. We’re all gonna step in it. We’re all gonna trip. We’re all gonna fall. We’re all gonna make mistakes, but if you’re willing to recognize it and then actually make the effort to make that change, I think that takes some serious guts, some balls to step back into my DMs and be like, ‘You know what? That wasn’t cool.’” n

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FILM

[FILM]

All Bets Are Off The Card Counter shuffles Paul Schrader’s classic deck Written by

EILEEN G’SELL

ormented male protagonist? Implacable moral quandary? Scenes of neurotic journaling in stunningly elegant script? You could be forgiven for mistaking The Card Counter, Paul Schrader’s recent crime drama, for a handful of the films he s written over his five decade ca reer. You could be forgiven, even as his protagonists plainly never forgive themselves. In The Card Counter — written and directed by Schrader, and produced by Martin Scorsese — his brooding lead takes the form of William Tell (Oscar Isaac), an itinerant gambler and former soldier whose history of incar ceration is revealed early on, via voiceover, as are the secrets to counting cards. “As a boy, I was afraid of confined spaces, he shares, noting the irony that a stint in prison taught him an en viable quantitative skill, and in that, a degree of solace. “That’s all for me are illiam s first spoken words, as he pushes himself from a roulette table with his modest pile of chips. From the volcanic indignation of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull to the uasi hristian masochism in The Last Temptation of Christ and First Reformed, Schrader likes his heroes trou led and self loathing, his settings equally gritty and banal. Appropriately, Schrader’s latest morality tale opens in Sin ity advisedly not a glamorous mecca of five star hotels and over flowing ackpots. ia le ander Dynan’s unsparing cinematogra phy, as egas is a place where stray cats cross casino parking lots, a concrete Krispy Kreme bakes in the desert sun and the Motel concierge flatly recom

Oscar Issac stars as brooding gambler William Tell in The Card Counter. | COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES mends day old coffee. Within this hell of clanging slot machines, William’s talent for blackjack stokes the interest of a gambling scout named La Linda (Tiffany Haddish), who entices him with an offer he ostensibly can’t refuse. “You need someone to stake you, she purrs, referring to her sta le of promising gam lers while sipping a Tom ollins. “I’m always looking for a good thorough red. illiam turns her down with a cool resignation, a fa talism at odds with his high stakes profession. Meeting an aimless young man named irk Tye heridan at a paramilitary surveillance show case, William is forced to reckon with the trauma of his so called service years prior in u Ghraib, the site of abject abuse on the part of the U.S. Army toward the start of the Iraq War. Wil liam’s offbeat paternalism toward the vengeful twentysomething — another signature Schrader trope — leads him to accept La Linda’s backing offer and make as much money as possible playing poker across the U.S. “If I can help him, maybe he has a chance to start over again, he tells his enamored financier. esume his education and start a life. From here, like so many on the

Schrader roster, The Card Counter unfolds as an e ercise in restraint and brutality; corruption, and the violence it abets, lurks in every corner, even — or especially — when a brand of manly equanim ity is on defiant display. illiam s not playing to become wealthy or gain celebrity poker points, but to harness control over a chance fueled, entropic universe. “Noth ing, nothing can justify what we did, he tells irk at a roadside diner en route to a new city, refer ring to his actions in Abu Ghraib. “Your father understood that. If you were there, you could under stand. Otherwise there’s no un derstanding. Part of the thrall of the film is anticipating ust how long William will keep his demons at bay amidst a slew of triggers on their cross country so ourn. A sultry foil to Isaac’s somber mien, addish may at first e unrecognizable to fans of the actor best known for ribald an tics in Girls Trip and Like a Boss. With her slick bob, black shades and slit skirted dresses, addish makes the most of La Linda’s un derwritten backstory, lending a throaty laugh to e changes oth erwise awkwardly terse. In Wil liam’s and La Linda’s most tender moments together — touring a family friendly Middle merica

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light show (shot at the Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical arden she shares with ill her East St. Louis origins, her es cape from a bad relationship and how grooming gamblers became her full time gig. t doesn t mat ter to me if you did something bad in your past, she confides to her tortured shy guy. Such unlikely in timacy would be even more grati fying were Haddish given more to work with; as an actor she has to hustle at least as much as her character. Like all Schrader ventures, any prospect of romance pales in com parison to the gnawing anguish endured by his lone male protago nist. Saddling an individualistic mystique and epic scope akin to a Western, The Card Counter cul minates in a duel for the ages — and like most Westerns, morality means revenge. For those who have grown tired of chrader s reshu ing of worn motifs, this movie might not be for you. t might also, ustifia ly, turn off those with issues seeing torture inflicted onscreen though it’s hardly as gratuitous as Zero Dark Thirty). But this may be the most searing indictment of Ameri can turpitude in Schrader’s output so far — and for that alone, I was all in. n

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OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

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SAVAGE LOVE QUICKIES BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: I’m a cis woman. I had a quasi-relationship with a man last year that only lasted a couple of months. The sex was great, and sexting was always a big part of our connection. Since the breakup, we’ve fluctuated between staying in touch and radio silence, sometimes going months without speaking. During our periods of contact, though, sexting always makes a comeback. It’s hot until the frustration of not actually being able to have sex with him sets in. (We live in different countries now.) My issue is, if it weren’t for the sexting (which he really pushes), I don’t think he would converse with me about life in general. And there are other ways I feel this dynamic is detrimental to my post-breakup life. For example, he is really into cuckolding. He wants to hear about the dates I go on, the other men I have sex with, how they fucked me, etc. It’s fun to tease him and make him jealous by texting him, especially while I’m out with other men, but I wind up feeling like my attention is divided between him and whoever I’m with, sometimes to a point where I can’t come with others because of how distracted I am (by him) and how disconnected I feel (from them). My Ex’s Sexy Sexts Are Getting Exhausting, Sorta If you feel like your ex is just using you for sexts and you don’t enjoy being used like that, MESSAGES, stop sexting with your ex. Maybe you’ll hear from him again after the sexting stops — maybe he’ll reach out now and then just to catch up — but even if you never hear from him again, that could be for the best. I mean, if you have a hard time resisting his sext requests and sexting with him leaves you feeling frustrated (because you can’t fuck him) and prevents you from being in the moment (with the guys you are fucking), you should probably block his number. But if you enjoy sexting with your ex — you did say it’s fun for you too — and you can reset your expectations to avoid disappointment (if you stop expecting more from him than just sexts), go ahead and sext with him. But don’t do it

when you’re with someone else. Go out on dates, enjoy your dates, fuck your dates. And the next time you’re home alone and bored, MESSAGES, text your ex and tell him you’re out on a date. You’ll get all the same enjoyment out of making him jealous — and he’ll get all the same enjoyment of his cuckold fantasies — without you being distracted during your actual dates. Hey, Dan: After many years of a fulfilling sex life, I’ve begun to embrace the perv side of my sexuality and couldn’t be happier! But I’m looking for a better term than “perv.” While accurate, that term seems to carry negative connotations. I’m looking for something that communicates the same thing while being sex positive. Any suggestions? Positively Exploring Rhetorical Variety I’ve always liked “perv,” an affectionate diminutive for “pervert,” and I consider it sex positive in the same spirit that “slut,” having been reclaimed, is considered sex positive by people who cheerfully and defiantly self identify as sluts. And since pretty much any word that communicates the same thing “perv” does in one catchy/percussive syllable has similarly negative connotations — deev for deviant, dej for degenerate, debbies for debauchers/debauchees — this perv thinks you should embrace the term “perv,” PERV, instead of trying to come up with something new. Hey, Dan: Where can I buy e-stim devices and urethral electrode sounds in the Detroit area? Sounding You Out ou ll find a nice selection of e stim devices and urethral sounds — electrode and otherwise — at all Crowley’s Department Store locations in the greater Detroit area. Hey, Dan: You’ve said that one way to get over a crush is to masturbate about it until it passes. I’m going on 2.5 years. I had surgery in 2019, and I’m still obsessed with my surgeon. I think it’s trauma bonding, as I had complications and had to have three follow-up surgeries, plus a ton of office visits. I know logically that he’s arrogant, overly impressed with his own sense of humor and just generally not my type. I haven’t seen him in a

year, but I still think about him all the time. Can you help? Can’t Understand This If masturbating about your arrogant, unfunny and perhaps incompetent surgeon (three follow-up surgeries?!?) hasn’t done the trick … maybe it’s time to try masturbating about something and/or someone else? (Or, even better, maybe talk with a therapist about this?) Hey, Dan: You recently told a healthy and active 72-year-old man practicing orgasm denial that “multiple studies have shown a link between frequent ejaculation and a lower incidence of prostate cancer.” I’m a healthy and active 78-year-old man who began masturbating at age ten. I continue to masturbate as frequently as my body will allow, which is about every other day. Yet, I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent a procedure that reamed out most of my prostate tissue. I am now back to masturbating, but not ejaculating. Still, a dry orgasm is better than no orgasm at all. So, studies may show one thing, but life can show you something completely different. Totally Wrong About That I’m sorry to hear about your prostate tissues, TWAT, and I’m glad to hear you’re able to enjoy the orgasms you’re still capable of having. But I gotta say — for the record — that I didn’t claim frequent ejaculation prevents prostate cancer. I cited studies showing a lower incidence of prostate cancer in men who masturbate regularly. “Lower incidence ero incidence. ou drew the short straw here, TWAT, and I’m sorry about that. But I can’t imagine you spent all those years masturbating solely for your prostate’s sake, TWAT, which means you still got something out of all those wet orgasms. It’s the same thing you’re getting out of the dry orgasms you’re enjoying now: pleasure. Hey, Dan: After reading the question asked by “The System Called Reciprocity,” the lesbian who wanted a man to do chores around the house in exchange for handjobs or blowjobs, I had to write in. I’m not sure where she’s located, but if she’s on the south side of Chicago, I would be down for some light housework! Feel free to connect me to any of your readers for a deal like this!

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Helping Out The Dykes And Making Nice I don’t know where TSCR lives either, HOTDAMN, but even if I knew where she was, I’m not allowed to put my readers in touch with each other. (My lawyer has forbidden me to play matchmaker.) That said, HOTDAMN, there’s nothing I can do to prevent my readers from reaching out to each other in the comments. Hey, Dan: So long as ALPHA — the straight guy who likes to demean and degrade thicc gay boys he finds on Grindr — is upfront with these guys and tells them he’s straight and tells them he has no intention of ever hooking up with them IRL, then what he’s doing is okay, I guess. But if he’s not disclosing all those facts about himself, Dan, then he’s pretending to be something he’s not and that is not OK! Straight guys leading gay guys on for attention is repulsive. We’ve got enough problems out there without you giving straight guys permission to fuck with our heads! Too Pissed For Acronyms Grindr and other hookup apps are full of guys leading each other on — sometimes intentionally (not interested in hooking up IRL), sometimes unintentionally (circumstances and/or guy trouble can derail a wanted hookup). Everyone who gets on Grindr knows or soon reali es that not every chat or exchange of pics leads to sex. Like author and Grindr user Alexander Cheves said in that column: “We all enter Grindr chats willingly, and we should do so knowing that anyone we talk to may have no plans of following through with their promises to meet.” And in ALPHA’s case, I don’t think he’s leading anyone on. He seeks out gay guys who fantasi e about masculine, domineering and unavailable straight jocks. He may be fucking with some guys’ heads, TPFA, but he’s only fucking with the heads of guys who get off on having their heads fucked with in exactly this way and by exactly his type. I mean, who etter to fulfill the hot unavailable straight jock fantasy than the hot unavailable straight jock? mail@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter www.savage.love

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

riverfronttimes.com

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

OCTOBER 6-12, 2021

riverfronttimes.com

Riverfront Times, October 6, 2021

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